Mayan journalist Pedro Canché, author of Diary of a Prisoner of Conscience. Photo taken from Tumblr.

For over six months, Mayan journalist Pedro Canché Herrera has been awaiting his sentence in a cell in the state of Quintana Roo in southeast Mexico. He was arrested on August 30, 2014, and charged with sabotage by authorities in the municipality of Felipe Carrillo Puerto, after recording videos, interviewing protesters, and posting photos of a sit-in against an increase in prices for water services.

Authorities felt that his leadership incited people to block entrances to the offices of the Water and Sewage Commission. The crime of sabotage is considered so serious that Canché Herrera cannot apply for bail.

Canché Herrera believes that his arrest has nothing to do with the aforementioned protests, but rather his journalistic work in the area. On his Twitter account (@pedrokanche) and Facebook page, he shared an open letter written from prison, commenting on his situation:

For us Mayans who have very few voices in the national print and digital media, the fact that they have issued a formal arrest against me for an invented crime of conducting independent journalism and sharing it on national and digital media outlets is a huge blow to freedom of expression.

I consider this a warning for all of us who use Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and social networks for journalism and reflections.

I am sure that our Mexico is no longer in diapers like it was in 1968 because there are Mexican politicians, lovers of freedom, who are going to condemn these acts and will reflect on whether this is the Mexico that we need.

I remain at the solidarity of journalists from Mexico and around the world, hoping that they write a letter to the President of the Republic to stop this attack on freedom of expression against an international journalist of Mayan ethnicity.

In a statement released on February 23, Amnesty International said there is evidence that the state prosecutor committed injustices in the process, due to Canché Herrera's recognized journalistic work over the course of the last two decades:

According to Pedro Canché legal defense, the evidence submitted by the public prosecutor lacks solid statements to prove that he is responsible for leading the block outside of CAPA [the Water and Sewage Commission]. The only photographic evidence of the protest shows Pedro taking pictures of the event.

In fact, days before his arrest, the director of Quintana Roo's Judiciary Public Defense office, Lino Magos, told Canché Herrera off through his official Twitter account:

@CesarinME @betoborge being tagged as a troublemaker censors my freedom of expression as an independent reporter

@pedrokanche @CesarinME @betoborge @dianaegzz @Vianey_Pizarro Pedro you are a menace of a journalist and a troublemaker in training

In prison, Canché Herrera has suffered beatings, isolation, and has been denied visits from his children. They have even threatened to take away his right to write letters. Amnesty International also added that it:

[…] has received troubling information about Pedro Canché's current state of health, including delayed medical care in relation to injuries apparently sustained during his detention process. And emphasizes the responsibility of state authorities to assure the health and welfare of those in their custody.

All of this has not been enough to silence Canché Herrera, who reassuringly says that “freedom of expression is not imprisoned, the human body can be imprisoned but thoughts are free.” As such, with the help of the Article 19 organization, he periodically publishes posts to a Tumblr blog called “Diary of a prisoner of conscience“, with images, videos, and quotes detailing his arrest, his journalistic work, and thoughts on freedom of expression:

This Tumblr, developed jointly, looks to use social networks and the media to republish and share Pedro Canché's letters, which are meant to be subdued under his arbitrary imprisonment for exercising freedom of expression, a right recognized in the Constitution and international treaties.

His thoughts and experiences are without a doubt something that political prisoners around the world can relate to.

In this video interview, published by Article 19, Canché Herrera reflects on his arrest and freedom.

It is dangerous that the system is like a clenching monster, taking anyone and everyone. If they do not suppress us with money, power, conviction, whatever, they are going to suppress us with repression. And that is the worst thing that can happen.

Canché Herrera's case joins the list of journalists persecuted by the governor of Quintana Roo, Roberto Borge Angulo, as Proceso magazine reports. Such is the case of Norma Madero Jiménez, owner of Luces del Siglo, a weekly magazine that exposes corruption and abuse committed by local and state authorities. In a ruling issued by the district judge, she was ordered to refrain from distributing false magazine covers and cease the spread of “defamatory, aggressive, or accusatory” messages.

In a full story about the case, written by Guillermo Rivera (@GuillermoRiverV) for emeequis, Canché Herrera said that the governor has a “phobia” of critical journalists. He also commented on what pains him to be in jail:

[…] My hands are tied. I have no way of knowing what's happening outside. I feel tremendous, horrible emptiness. I am hungry for information. It's similar to blindness.

[…] Every day I have to fight anxiety. My breathing collapses. I feel a terrible sense of claustrophobia. Sweat, sweat, sweat. When anxiety attacks, I have to run to bed. I close my eyes and do therapy. To control myself, I drink several liters of water.

He also stated:

Si no fuera por mi familia, esto sería doblemente horrible

If it weren't for my family, this would be twice as horrible

At the end of his letter, as a demonstration of Canché Herrera's tireless journalistic spirit, Guillermo Rivera related the following:

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